Research progress and outlook on launch technologies for small- and medium-sized UAVs

Purpose To meet small/medium unmanned aerial vehicles’ (UAVs) rapid, covert deployment needs from the low-altitude economy and modern warfare, this paper aims to review mainstream launch technologies, analyzes core challenges and projects trends for military-civilian references. Design/methodology/approach This paper systematically reviews the development history, key technological breakthroughs and typical application scenarios of mainstream launch technologies for small- and medium-sized UAVs. It analyzes the core technical bottlenecks of existing launch systems and, based on multidisciplinary research progress, summarizes future development trends, aiming to provide a structured reference for related academic and engineering research. Findings As the core link between unmanned equipment and mission scenarios, small- and medium-sized UAV launch technology has evolved from “functional compliance” to “performance synergy” based on existing research. Literature indicates that advances in three key dimensions – lightweight design, low overload and low noise – coupled with improved intelligence and environmental adaptability, will drive the technology toward multiscenario compatibility, precise control and low-cost deployment. Originality/value This paper systematically compares domestic and international research progress, synthesizes key parameter characteristics of different launch technologies and summarizes core technical challenges (e.g. lightweighting, low noise and low overload) limiting future UAV system development. As a comprehensive literature review, it clarifies future development directions and provides theoretical references for subsequent research and practical applications.